Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-08-20
800 PER ANNuM IN ADVANCE.
THE AMERICAN AND THE TARIFF.

DNA NNfNNAsSA ~h eDiS NOhtChiUOld-
ry the American in its issue of the
10Th inst, in reply to an article pub
ishad in the CHRONICLE last week
says:
The Clarksvi'le CHRONICLE an
swers the Americans position that |
the internal-infernal, as Mr.. JefIer-
son called it--taX system should be
abolished in this language:.
Then the substance of the whole |
thing is, shall the democratic party
face the music in the next Presiden-
tial and Congressional campaigns
with 'free whisky and tobacco and
taxed necessaries inscribed on their
banners, and could we expect to win
on such an issue?
We have no objection to aguring
the question with the CHRONICLE.
And we would be pleased to discuss
it without prejudice. Such discus
sion can only proceed intelligently by
making up an issue.
We submit the following PROPOSE
tons. If either one is denied the
discussion'ean only proceed withintel-
ligence. If not denied a discussion
would be mere words:
l. The policy of the government,
and especially of the democratic
party, from the foundation of the
government, has been, in times of
peace, to collect no internal or direct
taxa direct or internal tax being
only resorted to in time of war
when The emergencies of the war DO
manded it to meet extraordinary eX-
penses.
2. The theory and policy of the
Government, and especially Of the
Democratic party, have always been,
in time of peace, to support the Gov
eminent by a duty on imported
goods.
8. The policy of the Government,
and especially of the democratic
party, has always been to give the
States the benefit of the tax on
whisky, and in putting the tax on
imported goods to discriminate so as to
relieve entirely, or make light, the
tax or necessaries, collecting the
tax mainly from luxuries, the true
policy now being to take off the in
ternal war tax and adjust the tariff
with view of relieving as far as pos
sible the necessaries of life and of
protecting labor; no more revenue }
be collected than enough to support
the Government economically admin
istered.
4. The internal revenue system is
war measure, perpetuated by the
republican party as scheme for OPP
pressing the South through the means
of paying out of the treasury its
party organizers, and that it is pecu-
liarly and specially measure of CEN
tralization, and dangerous to the lib
erty of the citizen in future, and
especially if the republican party
come back into power.
We submit these propositions with
view to an intelligent discussion.
If issue is taken we shall be pleased
to discuss them; if not, we shall pur-
sue our warfare on the odious, OPP
pressive and tyrannical system of col
lecting taxes with shotguns.
For the edifcation of our readers
we have thought it best to give the
article in full. Therein, instead OF
attempting an answer to the article
it gravely proceeds to submit a series
of propositions to which itdemands 8
categoricalanswer, yes orno. Wehopt
the American will excuse US for say
ing that this looks very much like
dodging the question, and that i
seems TO us that itsproposition, fairly
stated, are only a reiteration, Of thu
arguments used in the article t.
which ours was intended as a respect
full reply, in supp riot is unqaalifie,
condemnation OF the revenue sys
ten AMI therefore Only amounts to 6
sort of petitiO principii, or begging
of the question, so to speak. We dt
rot propose to allow the American
thus to prescribe the terms of discus
sion, and not only to argue the ques
ton itself, but compel US to argue tn,
question, in its own way; for we dt
not propose to tackle the American
on the tariff question generally,
question which seems to be a favor
lite hobby and which the American
argues with so much learning ant
ability. We do not, then, proposes
to ''admit or deny its proposition
without limitation or qualification
AMI thus be drivtn into the "Caudin
forks, especially as we are told tina
if they are neither directly admitte
or denied, i. c. ifit is not PERMITTED t
lay down premises, to discuss tn
question from its own standpoint
and compel us also to do the sam,
the American will kindly let us off,
magnanimous forbearance for whic
we ought doubtless to be especial
thankful. We sh all pursue, says thi
distinguished metropolitan journa
tour warfare on the odious, oppre
sive aud tyrannicai system eollectir